Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)-Campus Alpin (IMK-IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirch, Germany, is an external partner of the Danish Pioneer Center for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures (Land-CRAFT). Since more than a decade IMK-IFU has developed and hosts the process-based biogeochemical LandscapeDNDC model (https://ldndc.imk-ifu.kit.edu/). Within the Land-CRAFT modelling activities, KIT and Land-CRAFT staff are jointly developing and applying the LandscapeDNDC model for Danish land use systems. Our collaboration focuses on improving the model’s ability to simulate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and the associated exchange processes with the hydrosphere and atmosphere e.g. in form of nitrate leaching or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a particular emphasis on managed systems such as croplands, grasslands, and forests. Key objectives to be addressed together with Land-CRAFT are to assess the current environmental footprint, especially the GHG footprint of agricultural systems and how it can be reduced under climate change conditions without compromising food production. Key study areas are on the one hand landscapes in Denmark and Scandinavia but also low-input agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

KIT's role in this partnership is focused on the further development of the LandscapeDNDC model and its adaptation to Danish specific applications. The aim is to improve the model's ability to assess the impact of land use changes on the overall soil C and N and GHG budgets in Denmark. In this way, the collaboration will contribute to a better understanding of how agricultural practices influence greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting accurate reporting for the Danish national greenhouse gas inventory.

In addition, KIT and Land-CRAFT are integrating farm modeling tools (FarmAC- www.farmac.dk) with the LandscapeDNDC model to create a complete farm-level modeling platform to support of the country’s vision of a green transformation of the agricultural sector with the goal of reducing GHG emissions, including from the agricultural sector by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Through this collaboration, KIT and Land-CRAFT are making significant progress in advancing sustainable agricultural practices, developing a monitoring, reporting and verification framework for agricultural GHG emissions, and supporting Denmark’s transition to a low-carbon economy.